Posted on 04/07/2009 12:43:29 PM PDT by wagglebee
NOTRE DAME, Indiana, April 7, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Seven more bishops have publicly spoken out against the University of Notre Dame's invitation to President Barack Obama to give the commencement address and receive an honorary law degree on May 17. In total 24 U.S. bishops have condemned the scandal (see list at bottom).
LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) today obtained Bishop William Higi's statement in Sunday's print edition of The Catholic Moment, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Lafayette, IN.
"Many people, including myself, who consider the University of Notre Dame the prestigious Catholic university in the United States, are most upset that the university has extended an invitation to President Obama to give its commencement address and receive an honorary degree," wrote Bishop Higi.
"Others have explained why so many object to this action. It need not be repeated here. In simple fact, the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who stand in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions. The sanctity of life from conception to natural death heads that list of fundamental principles."
The bishop encouraged readers to file their protest at http://www.notredamescandal.com, where a petition launched by the Cardinal Newman Society has reached over 248,000 signatures.
Writing to Notre Dame's Bishop John D'Arcy from the Texas diocese of San Antonio, Bishop José Gomez and auxiliary bishop Oscar Cantú said in a March 31 letter that they were "saddened by the circumstances that made you decide not to attend" commencement ceremonies, and expressed "total support" of the bishop's action and motives.
"President Obama has made it clear that his policies on abortion and the general protection of innocent life are in dramatic opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church," wrote the bishops. "At this critical time we cannot afford to send an ambiguous message to the leaders of our people." (To view the letter: http://www.archdiosa.org/txtfiles/attachment_153.pdf)
On April 1, Archbishop Alfred Hughes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans wrote "with a heavy heart" to University president Fr. John Jenkins, saying he could not see how the invitation was in alignment with U.S. Bishops' policy prohibiting honors for pro-abortion politicians.
While highlighting President Obama's personal charisma and talent, Hughes added: "But dignity and equality belong also to our unborn brothers and sisters. We cannot compromise our Church's clear and unflagging opposition to abortion and embryonic stem cell research by providing honors and a platform for those who deny the humanity and dignity of the most frail creatures in our midst. ...
"The University of Notre Dame used to be the flagship Catholic University in the United States," lamented Hughes. "I regret that we are not experiencing that leadership and integrity." (to view Abp. Hughes' full letter, go to: http://blog.nola.com/elections_impact/2009/04/Hughes%20lette...)
In a column last Friday in the diocesan newspaper of Youngstown, Ohio, Bishop George Murry wrote: "In politics, one cannot functionally separate a politician from his polices. Mr. Obama's policies of expanding the availability of abortion at home and exporting that availability overseas have demonstrated that he does not believe that the life of the unborn is very important. As a result, I cannot but be deeply disturbed by the decision made by the president and board of Notre Dame." (To view Bishop Murry's column: http://cathexpo.org/articledetails.aspx?articleid=240)
In Saturday's edition of the Fairfield County Catholic, Bishop William Lori of Connecticut's Bridgeport Diocese said: "Notre Dame extended this invitation unilaterally, seemingly without regard for the consequences for the mission of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is contrary to the efforts of bishops, parish priests, and laity to resist the anti-life decisions, policies, and legislation promoted by the Obama administration."
Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, AR in a Facebook note endorsed the position of U.S. Catholic Bishops' policy against the Notre Dame invitation, and stated that he "fully support[s]" Notre Dame's Bishop D'Arcy for repudiating the move and announcing his intent to boycott the graduation ceremony.
The bishops who have spoken out against the Notre Dame Scandal thus far (with some files from Thomas Peters of the American Papist blog, http://www.americanpapist.com/blog):
1. Bishop John D'Arcy, Fort Wayne-South Bend, IN
2. Cardinal Francis George, Chicago; President, USCCB
3. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Galveston-Houston,
4. Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Milwaukee
5. Archbishop John Nienstedt, St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN
6. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran, Oklahoma City
7. Bishop Edward Slattery, Tulsa
8. Archbishop John Myers, Newark
9. Archbishop Alfred Hughs, New Orleans
10. Bishop Joseph Martino, Scranton
11. and Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty, Scranton
12. Bishop Thomas Doran, Rockford, IL
13. Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Phoenix
14. Bishop Gregory Aymond, Austin
15. Bishop Robert Lynch, St. Petersburg
16. Bishop R. Walker Nickless, Sioux City
17. Bishop Kevin Rhoades, Harrisburg, Pa.
18. Bishop William E. Lori, Bridgeport, CT
19. Bishop Robert Morlino, Madison WI
20. Bishop George Murry, Youngstown, OH
21. Bishop William Higi, Lafayette, IN
22. Bishop Anthony Taylor, Little Rock, AR
23. Archbishop Jose Gomez, San Antonio
24. and Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantu, San Antonio
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Notre Dame's Bishop Will Not Attend Obama-Honoring Graduation, Criticizes University's Decision
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032408.html
Notre Dame Faces Groundswell of Outrage after Announcing Plan to Honor Obama
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032312.html
Notre Dame President: School "Honored" by Obama's Acceptance to Speak and Receive Honorary Degree
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032306.html
Catholic Notre Dame University to Give Obama Honorary Degree on May 17, Against USCCB Policy
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032005.html
I’m not sure how much he would listen to any evangelical’s views on what’s fit or not fit in a church.
But I sure would give D’Arcy a thumbs up if he solemnly pronounced (or whatever it is they do to formalize something) that “If Notre Dame honors Barack Obama, or any other person with such outspoken pro-abortion views, with an honorary degree, it no longer qualifies to be a Roman Catholic university.”
Depends on how you phrase it.
You may not recognise his authority. OTOH, from our perspective, he is responsible for the care of every soul in his diocese ... even yours.
You are, apparently, scandalised both by UND's actions and and the bishops' inaction or apparent inadequate action ... perhaps you believe that their behaviour detracts from the preaching and spread of the Gospel. An approach along that line would likely be received favourably by the bishop. Or, at least, received favourably by the functionary who reads and categorises his mail.
I just signed the petition. Previously, I sent an e-mail message to the Archdiocese of New Orleans (under whose jurisdiction I live) thanking Archbishop Hughes for his stand (http://www.arch-no.org/contact.php).
I ask fellow FReepers whose local bishops have spoken against the Notre Dame travesty to likewise express their gratitude to them.
However liberals of his type dig in and don't budge an inch, counting on what they view as the flabbiness, weakness and ultimate collapse of conservative opposition. In too many cases, this is what happens.
Obama is sticking in there to create as much chaos and turmoil as possible. In the history of the world, communists step in wherever there is chaos and unrest, using these conditions to grab power.
The ultimate goal is to make Christians churches irrelevant, to appear impotent, to cause the faithful to question their own faith and traditions, and to cause them to lose trust in their own church superiors.
Into these breaches ride the godless and power-seekers with promises and panaceas, seeking to ultimately replace organized religion with an all-powerful Government as the only true god.....a la what happened in the old soviet union.
Government will be the new god, the new patriarch, the new head of families, the new provider and re-distributor of wealth, the new blessed mother, the new physician, the new religion.
And Obama is the new Messiah (i.e., by definition, "any expected savior or liberator of a people or country").
How can we common peons in the religious community figure all this out when highly-educated administrators of universities and schooled religionists can't? Communist, socialist and fascist power grabs under all kinds of guises have been going on for centuries, for crying out loud. Their modus operandi is quite clear for all to see.
Rhetorical question, of course.
Leni
That made me laugh!
I can remember when a lot of Priests were golden glove boxers in their youth. I would have been dangerous to grab them by the collar.
But it seems a lot of today's Priests were on the badminton or canasta teams.
Haven’t heard a word out of Archbishop Wuerl on this question.
Has Abp. Wuerl heard from you?
Well put! I can't think of a better way to express it.
He's not just a Catholic who listens only to Catholics. And this isn't just an in-house event. It's being publicized worldwide, and it affects every pro-lifer, every endangered unborn child, and every Christian of every denomination, whether you'd choose to have it affect you or not.
If Yeshiva University were to put the laurel wreath on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or if Southern Methodist were to give a joint honorary degree to William Ayres and Bernardine Dohrn, I would absolutely jump into it with both of my big Catholic feet.
Stop O’bummer bump!
Yes he has. I also called Fr. Lannon on the simimlar scandal at St. Joe’s.
Bustard, I think we agree on this.
You believe in Jesus Christ, and so do I. Though we disagree on some particulars, those particulars are not the issue at hand.
We see an organization calling itself a church of Jesus Christ, but also seeming to act like that name means nothing in things that the Bible is pretty clear about. It’s not only repulsive, it’s a temptation to give up on that name. Wouldn’t either Peter or Paul, both sworn to Jesus, have told these people off and warned them to get right with God?
I’m not sure Jesuits are Catholic anymore.
That's what we need now ... for the Holy Spirit to descend on all Christians and get us properly fired up.
Enlighten me ...
St. Joseph’s University in Phila invited Chris Matthews to be their commencement speaker. He is pro-abortion.
Chris Matthews is not in the position to enact policy.
Absolutely. Without the Holy Spirit, a Christian can do nothing. The New Testament tells us to get filled with the Spirit. The great New Testament Christians were all filled with the Spirit before they made their divinely inspired remarks.
Disgusting. Not quite as disgusting, but still ... There’s no shortage of honourable Catholics (or honourable non-Catholics) from which to choose. No excuse for such stuff.
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